SA v Eng 2nd Test Day 1 Review: Newlands witnesses a fascinating day’s play

Opting to bat first England got off to a solid start on a pitch that has true bounce and looks got to bat on. The conditions at the picturesque Newlands looked beautiful with the sun out in its full glory. A capacity crowd witnessed top class cricket throughout the day. After losing the 1st Test, the home team had to show fight and dig deep on day 1 at Cape Town, which they did. In desperate need to win the 2nd match and restore some pride after having a miserable previous year in Test cricket, the Proteas were forced to make changes in the team.

Dale Steyn and Kyle Abbott’s injuries ruled them out. The bustling, big-hitting all-rounder Chris Morris made his debut for South Africa in the whites while Kagiso Rabada got a chance to showcase his skills in this important match. JP Duminy was left out as Quinton de Kock was asked to do the wicket-keeping duties. The visitors made one change as their premier fast bowler James Anderson returned in place of Chris Woakes.

Having added 55 for the first wicket, the English openers looked comfortable enjoying the pace and bounce on offer. The home team was in need of some inspiration to produce a wicket and they got it in spectacular fashion. Skipper Alastair Cook, batting on 27 having struck 4 elegant boundaries, received a full-length delivery from Rabada that moved a wee bit away from the left-hander. The length invited Cook to go for an expansive drive but all he could manage is an edge that flew in the slip region where Morris held onto a blinder diving low to his left at third slip. It was a stunning effort from the debutant having plucked it just inches off the turf.

Alex Hales, playing his second Test, raced to fifty soon after lunch with three boundaries off Rabada, but they all had a streaky feel to them. It was a good ball that dismissed him as Morne Morkel found bounce from a good length around off stump and de Villiers dived across Dean Elgar at first slip to take a sharp catch. Nick Compton carried on his form from the first Test and was looking solid on 45 however he perished on the stroke of tea in trying to pull Rabada. He hit it sweetly but didn’t quite keep it down and the catch was neatly taken by Temba Bavuma at midwicket.

Rabada found himself on the verge of a hat-trick as he removed James Taylor first ball after the tea interval. Another fullish ball from the talented seamer found movement and the bat’s edge as Taylor tried to go for a drive. Ben Stokes not only survived the ball but also lasted and even dominated the entire session.

The left-hander started to resurrect the England innings in the company of Joe Root who was looking compact the crease. Root kept rotating the strike and also didn’t miss out on any boundary scoring opportunities. He reached his half-century off 78 balls however the next ball brought his downfall as he gave Morris his first Test wicket. Root, fishing a touch outside off, attempted a wristy steer through third man, however, managed only a thin edge which gave de Kock his 2nd catch of the day.

At 223/5 the home side looked on top and England needed another substantial partnership. Johnny Bairstow and Stokes are known to play their natural attacking game and both did so in fine style. Knowing that the only way to counter a disciplined South African attack was to counter attack, the two young Englishmen batted with gay abandon and took the bowlers on. They took their team past 300 and frustrated the home side to no end. At stumps both remained unbeaten with Stokes on 74 off 93 and Bairstow on 39 off 59. The left-hander’s knock included 11 fours and one six while that of the right-hander included 5 fours. The day was filled with top class cricket and truly lived up to the billing.

Brief Scores:

England 1^st Innings- 317/5 in 87 overs (B Stokes 74*; K Rabada 3/74)